Surgery Overview
in women can cause frequent involuntary release of urine
during activities that put pressure on your bladder, such as coughing or
laughing. The tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure is designed to provide
support for a sagging
so that when you cough or move vigorously or
suddenly, the urethra can remain closed with no accidental release of
urine.
In TVT surgery, a mesh tape is placed under your
urethra like a sling or hammock to keep it in its normal position. The tape is
inserted through tiny incisions in your abdomen and vaginal wall. No sutures
are required to hold the tape in place. TVT surgery takes about 30
minutes and may be done under
so you can cough at the surgeon's
request to test the tape's support of your urethra.
Other sling surgeries are done in a way that is similar to TVT surgery. Transobturator tape (TOT) surgery is done almost as often as TVT in a slightly different way.
What To Expect After Surgery
Usually within hours of your surgery,
you will be asked to urinate to test how your bladder and urethra
respond to the surgery. You may be released to go home the same day as your surgery, or
you may remain in the hospital overnight. It may be necessary to have a thin,
flexible tube () placed into your bladder through your
urethra to allow urine to drain while you recover or to teach you to do
self-catheterization temporarily.
TVT surgery usually causes
minimal pain and discomfort. Although you may resume most normal activities
within 1 to 2 weeks, you will be advised to refrain from driving for 2 weeks
and from sexual intercourse or strenuous activities for 6 weeks.
Recovery times for TOT surgery are similar to those for TVT surgery.
Why It Is Done
Tension-free vaginal tape is used to
correct stress incontinence caused by sagging of the urethra. It is a
relatively simple procedure that can be done with minimal hospitalization and
recovery time.
How Well It Works
Tension-free vaginal tape surgery works as well as the Burch colposuspension surgery to cure stress incontinence. About 8 out of 10 women are cured ("dry") in the year after TVT surgery. Long-term success rates are not known.1
Surgery time, hospital stay, and recovery time are all shorter for women who have TVT compared to women who have retropubic suspension surgery.